Appliance for steaming plant-beds.



PATENTED NOV. 13. 1906.

,NSL "835,621.

J. H. L. JOHNSON APPLIANOB POR STEAMING PLANT BEDS.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.21, 1905.

,wl U/ @MQWQ lwl'. w v u inventor Attorneys JOHN HENRY LONG JOHNSON, OFASHBURN, TENNESSEE.

APPLUNCE FOR STEANIING PLANT-'BEDS- Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

Application filed October 2l., 1905. Serial No. 283842.

T0 (LU whom, it Hefty oon/cern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HENRY; LONG JOHNSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Ashburn, in the county of Robertson and State ofTennessee, have invented a new and useful Appliance for SteamingPlant-Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for preparing the soil for plantingor seeding, and has for its object to provide a simplyconstructedapparatus whereby noxious seeds, seed-germs, roots, and other vegetationwhose aftergrowth would be detrimental to the crop it is designed toVcultivate are destroyed.

In preparing the soil for receiving certain kinds of seeds or plants itis of great advantage to destroy the seeds or germs of noxious weeds orother plants whose aftergrowth would be detrimental to the crop which itis desired to cultivate. Heat is generally employed to accomplish thedesired results and has heretofore been applied in various ways and byemploying various forms of devices, such as fires built upon the groundwhere the plants or seeds are to be placed; but this is objectionablebecause of the expense and labor and because of the undue amount ofashes remaining and carried into' the soil with the rains or whenpreparing the soil for the seeds or plants.

In the improved device herein illustrated and described the heatingqualities of steam are utilized to accomplish the desired results, andto eflectually apply the steam to the soil is the principal object ofthe present invention.

Another object of the invention is to apply dry heat from a furnace orheating apparatus to the soil after treatment by the steam to acceleratethe evaporation of the moisture resulting from the condensation of thesteam, and thus correspondingly accelerate the preparation ofthe soilfor the seeds or plants.

Another ob] ect of the invention is to provide a simply-constructed andcompact apparatus whereby the steam and hot air may be effectuallyemployed. l

lVith these and other objects in view,

which will appear as the nature of the inven.

tion is better understood, the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication, andin which correthe ground, with the edges en aging the ground relativelysteam-tight, an admitting steam to the hood. i,

The improved apparatus further comprises a casing or hood open at oneside and earing upon-the round and with means for admitting steam tereto and with a furnace associated therewith for heating the ground toaccelerate the evaporation of the moisture left by the condensation ofthe steam.

The improved apparatus further comprises a hood -or casing open on oneside for earing over the ground, a furnace for imparting heat toevaporate the moisture from the ground, and steam-piping within theinfluence of the heat from said furnace and leading into the hood.

The improved apparatus further comprises la frame mounted uponcarrier-wheels means for and Varran ed to adjustably support thevsteamingood and its associated parts, whereby the same may beconvenlently transported and actuate The hood or casing is representedat 10,

preferably in the form of av rectan ular box of suitable material, suchas wood lined with sheet metal or wholly of sheet metal and with theside next the ground open, as shown. The box is relatively shallow andwith the lower edges bearing upon the ground, so that the box isrelatively steam-tight and may be rendered more completelyl steamtightby banking with the loose earth after setting in position. Mounted uponthe hood or casing 10 is another preferably smaller casing 1l, having afurnace orfire-chamber 12, next the casing 10, and an upper chamber 13above the fire-chamber. The fire-chamber 12 is provided with afiring-door '14 in one side and a smoke-stack 15 at the other side.l

Disposed within the upper chamber 13 is a coil of piping 16, with oneend extended into 1 the hood 10 and the other end provided with IOO IIO

i of soil meistens it to an unnecessary extent,

senesi tor,(represented at 19.) By this means steam is supplied to thehood 10, as required, the steam-pipe 18 having a controlling-valve 20.The coil of piping 16 is thus disposed Within the influence of the heatradiating from the heating-chamber 12 and is thus superheated to acertain extent and its eiliciency thereby increased.

A frame 21 is arranged for supporting the hood l() and its associatedparts and is mounted upon carrier-wheels 22 23 by axles 24 25. Pivotedat 26 27 to the axles 24 25 are levers 28 29, the latter coupled in turnat 30 31 to the hood 10 to provide means for lifting the hood and itsattachments from the ground.

Means are provided, such as chains 31 and eyes 32, to hold the hoodsuspended from the Jrrame 21 when the device is being trans-i ported; i

The preferable means for transporting the hood and its associated partsis by a traction engine, the boiler of the engine beine utilized tosupply the requisite steam, and for the purpose of illustrationa portionof such an engine is shown at 33, with draft-chains 34 between theengine and hood.

The apparatus may be employed for treat ing the soil prior to plantingtor various kinds ,of crops, but is designed more particuiarly fortreating soil where tobacco and 'similar crops are to be grown, and inoperating the improved apparatus. the soil is rst prepared by plowingand harrowing or otherwise pulverizing and the hood 10, with itsattachments, placed over a portion of the repared soil, the lower edgesbanked, if required, and the steani turned on and allowed to flow for asufficient length of time to thoroughly heat the soil to a suilioientextent to destroy all plant lite therein. The condensation of the steammeistens the soil, and in certain kinds and under these circumstances alire is built in theilurnace portion 12 of the device and the radiatingheat therefrom utilized to accelerate the evaporation and the drying ofi the soil, and thus correspondingly acceleraates the preparation of thesoil ior the seed or plants. W'hen one section of the soil has beentreated, the device is moved to another and the operation repeated, andso on until the whole field has been treated.

The time required for treating the soil va ries according to the natureand condition of the soil and the depth to which the obnoxious plantlife extends.

The device is simple in construction, can be inexpensively manufactured,and of any required size or of any suitable material.,

Having thus descibed the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In a deviceof the class described, an inclosing hood open at one side for bearingby the open side relatively lstean'i-tight upon the ground aheating-chamber disposed above said hood and meansA for introducingsteam into said hood.

2. In a device of the class described, an inclosing hood open at oneside for bearing by j the open side relatively steam-tight upon theground, a heating-chamber disposed above said hood, an inclosed chamberabove said heating-chamber, a coil. of piping within said inclosedchamber with one 'end leading into said hood, and means for conductingsteam into said piping.

ln a device of the class described, an inclosing hood open at one sidefor bearing by the open side relatively steam-tight u on the ground, aheating-chamber disposer above said hood, a coil of piping disposedwithin the influence ofY the heat from said heatingch amber with one endleading in to said hood, and means for conducting steam into saidpiping.

In testimony that i claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.4

JOllN HENRY LONG JOHNSON.

l/itnessosz C. S. MclNTosr-i, J. W. Toonl

